Words by Logan Fowler | Images by Al Blanton
Ella Hyde’s relationship with softball began almost as soon as she could hold a glove. She was six years old when she first picked up a ball, and that decision quickly evolved into a lifelong pursuit that has molded her friendships, discipline, and future goals.
“I’ve always met some of my best friends through the sport,” Hyde said. “It has given me so many opportunities and so many lessons learned. I couldn’t think of anything else I’d want to do.”
Growing up in Nauvoo, Hyde traveled across Alabama and beyond for tournaments and training. By seventh grade, she was contributing at the varsity level at Carbon Hill High School while pitching for the junior varsity squad.
That early exposure and hard work eventually paid off. Hyde, who finished her high school career as the program’s all-time leader in home runs, embraced her role as a power hitter who produced runs with her bat rather than her speed. “I was never the fastest runner,” she said. “But I started hitting the home runs, and I was like, ‘Okay, that’s more runs coming in, and it’s more helpful towards the team.’ I’ve always just thought of it as a way I could help my team get more runs and help win more games.”
While excelling on the softball diamond, Hyde was just as dominant in the classroom. She graduated in 2025 as Carbon Hill’s Valedictorian and consistently balanced the demands of academics with softball. That often meant studying and completing assignments at the ballpark.
“You could ask probably anyone who knows me, I would always have my computer doing schoolwork or my notebooks working on problem sheets. If I wasn’t doing softball, I would start doing academics.”
Her determination on the softball field and in the classroom soon caught the eye of the coaches at Arkansas State Mid-South, located in West Memphis, Ark., where she now competes at the collegiate level.
Of course, the step up in competition brought faster pitching, deeper lineups, and a heightened demand for consistency – which is nothing new for Hyde. “If you’re not up to the level, you will get benched, or you will have your spot taken. You have to fight for your spot,” Hyde said. “If you’re not putting your all into it, you’re not going to get what you want.”
Hyde’s personal understanding of the physical toll that athletics takes on the body has helped shape her career aspirations as an athletic trainer. After suffering an injury during her high school career, Hyde worked with Bowen Family Chiropractic in Jasper, and says the clinic played a key role in helping her get back on the diamond much earlier than expected.
“I will definitely recommend that every athlete should see a chiropractor or have a chiropractic they go to regularly,” Hyde said.
Outside of softball and school, Ella enjoys reading, photography, and hanging out with family and friends.
As she looks ahead, Hyde hopes to replicate the same balance that defined her high school career at the collegiate level and beyond.
“If you love academics and you love your sport, it will all be figured out,” Hyde said. “The results will pay off on both ends.” WL
